Amino Acids for Athletes: Learn about Their Importance for Sports

Amino Acids for Athletes: Learn about Their Importance for Sports
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Athletes are under a different amount of physical stress than those who rarely work out or moderately exercise. Their bodies need special nutrition. Amino acids are a large part of what they need in order to maximize potential. But what exactly are amino acids and what role do they play for athletes?

Vital Nutrition for Athletes

We’ve all heard about the need to consume the recommended daily value from the food groups each day. But some people think that people should cut meat (or other animal products) out of their diet altogether in order to be healthier. This is not true, especially for athletes. Substantial amounts of amino acids come from animal sources such as meats and animal by-products like eggs, milk and cheese.

Essential amino acids are found in proteins, so as you can imagine they do a lot for athletes. Here are some of the amino acids function and health benefits: amino acids help build strong muscles, increase stamina, allow the body to recover and rejuvenate after strenuous exercise, fatigue or exhaustion, and even help keep the mind focused. Amino acids are also important to athletes because of the supporting value the have on metabolic function.

Essential Amino Acids

There are eight amino acids that are commonly referred to as ‘essential amino acids’. What makes them ‘essential’? The human body cannot synthesize them, which means that we must consume them through our diet. They are elements that our bodies need in order to survive. These eight amino acids are: isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.

As you can see from the information above, amino acids play a significant role in the health and endurance of athletes. Amino acids are vital for physical health and strength as well as for mental clarity. It is important to consume foods rich in amino acids instead of solely relying on supplements, although it is a good idea to take a supplement in addition to eating the right foods for added nutrition.

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